Reel for fish-rods.



J. A. RICKETTS.

REEL FOR FISH RODS. APPLIGATION FI [LED JAN.1s,.1910.

1,046,647, Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

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JOHN ASA RICKETTS, OF ITI-IACA, NEW YORK.

REEL FOR FISH-RODS.

Application filed. January 18, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Rioxn'r'rs, of Ithaca, in the county ofTompkins, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Reels for Fishltods, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings is a full, clear and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improvements in fish line reels andwhile it is par ticularly adapted to be used in connection with fishrods, it may be mounted on any other support and in other relationswhere a free reel and rapidity of action in winding a line upon the reelmay be desired. Reference is had to my pending application #617,716filed March 29, 1911.

The main object is to mount the reel upon its supporting frame in suchmanner as to be normally free and at the same time to provide meansunder the control of the operator whereby the line may be rapidly woundupon the reel by the reciprocal movement of the reel supporting framealong the fish rod or other suitable support through comparatively shortstrokes thereby obviating the laborious and slow action of the usualcrank lever.

Another object is to provide the reel supporting frame with a simple andconvenient means for frictionally retarding the action of the free reelin unwinding the line therefrom.

A further object is to provide means within easy reaching distance ofthe handle of the fish rod for preventing reciprocal action of the reelsupporting frame when desired.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will bebrought out in the following description.

In the drawings: Figures 1 and 2 are re-' spectively a top plan and aside elevation of a portion of a fish rod and my improved reel mountedthereon. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken respectivelyon lines 3+3 and 4. l, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan, partly brokenaway and partly in section, taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4, showingparticularly a portion of the toothed rack, gear train and ratchet andpawl connections for transmitting rotary motion from the rack to therotary reel actuating member, as the reel frame is moved back and forthalong the rack.

In illustrating the operation of my in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ea. 10, 1912.

Serial No. 538,612.

'tance apart and rigidly connected by a central hub 5 and a concentricseries of line supporting tie rods -6.

The hub 5, which is tubular, is journaled at its opposite ends toparallel frame plates or disks .7 and -8, the outer end of said hubprojecting some distance through the outer disk 8-- and is pro videdwith clutch teeth 9 adapted to be engaged by a movable clutch section1'O*. This clutch section is rigidly secured to a rotary axially movablespindle 11- and is normally held out of engagement with the clutchsection --9 by means of a retracting spring -12 having a forked arm 13and finger piece 14.

The head of the clutch section 10 is provided with an enlarged annularflange -l5 which is interposed between the forked arm 13 and fingerpiece 14, so as to hold the clutch 10 and spindle 11- in their normalposition and still permit their free rotation.

The spindle -11 is journaled in the hub 5 and is provided at its innerend with a reduced angular portion 16 which is slidab'ly fitted in acorresponding aper-' ture of a pinion 17 so as to permit free axialmovement of the spindle relatively to the pinion and at the same time toimpart rotary motion from the pinion to the spindle.

The frame plates or disks 7' and -8 V -18- and suitable spacing sleeves20..

Secured to the inner face of the base plate 19, preferably by the tiebolts 18. is a hand plate 21 having its central portion looped aroundand embracing the fish rod 3 with sufficient clearance to The frame 2 isalso provided permit free lengthwise reciprocal movementof the handplate without friction on the rod.

Mechanism for rotating the reeZ.The reel supporting frame is mountedupon and movable lengthwise of a supporting bar 22 running parallel withand having its opposite ends secured to the fish rod -8- and itsintermediate portions spaced side of the bar 22-.

apart a sufficient distance therefrom to receive andpermit the freeaction of the base plate 19 which is interposed between said bar and theadjacent side of the fish rod and preferably bears against the under Thepinion -17 is located just above the supporting bar 22 between the frameplate 7 and movement by ribs 24twhich are secured to the upper face ofthe base plate 19 by rivets 25 and ride in a lengthwise slot -26 runninglengthwise through the center of the bar 22 nearly its entire lengthsaid slot also receiving the lower end of the angular shank 16 of thespindle 11.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for imparting rotary motion tothe spindle 11 and its clutch 10 by the reciprocal movement of the reelsupporting frame along the fish rod and guide bar 22 and to this end Ihave shown said bar 22 having its opposite longitudinal edges providedwith parallel toothed racks 27 which mesh with rotary pinions 28, whichtogether with suitable coaxial ratchet wheels -29 are secured to rotaryspindles 30 and located at opposite sides of the guide bar 22 betweenthe plates -7- and -l9 in which the spindles 30 are'journaled.

Loosely mounted on the spindles 30 adjacent to the ratchet wheels 29,are gears 31 having pawls 32 pivoted thereto and spring pressed againstthe teeth of the ratchet wheels 29 by springs 33 also secured to thegears 3l.

These gears 31 are of the same diamspindle 1 1 which is slidablyinterlocked therewith, the inner portions of the gears 31- overlappingupon the outer face of the bar -2 plates 7 and -19, as clearly shown;

in Figs. 4 and 5.

Each ratchet wheel and its pawl constitutes an individual driving meansfor transmitting motion from the pinion 28 to the corresponding gear 31and thence to the spindle -11 through the medium of the spindle l7, saidratchet wheels and their pawls being arranged so that as the reel frameis moved in one direction the teeth of one of the ratchet wheels willengage the corresponding pawl and operate the adjacent gear 31, whilethe other pawl will simply trail backwardly over the teeth of itsratchet wheel, the reverse action taking place when the reel supportingframe V is moved in the opposite direction. For eX- ample, if the reelsupporting frame is moved in the direction indicated by arrow w, Fig. 5,the right hand pinion 28 and corresponding ratchet wheel 29 gear 31 willbe rotated in the direction indicated by arrow g thereby rotating thepinion 17 and spindle 11 in the direction indicated by arrow -2. Duringthis action the left hand pinion 28 and ratchet wheel 29 will be rotatedin the direction indicated by arrow m/, while the corresponding gear 31will be rotated in the direction indicated by arrow n-, thus causing theteeth of the left hand ratchet wheel to ride under the pawl, while atthe same time the pawl rides in the opposite direction over the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel. I

It will be clear from the foregoing description, that by moving the reelsupporting frame in the opposite direction from that indicated by arrowwthe action of the pinions 28 and their respective ratchet wheels 29will be reversed while the gears 31-- and pinion 17 will be rotated inthe same direction. It therefore follows that the spindle 11 will alwaysbe rotated in the same direction by the reciprocal movement of the reelsupporting frame along the fish rod.

As previously intimated, the clutch -10-. is movable into and out ofengagement with the clutch teeth -9 on the end of the hub 5 of the reel1 being normally held and I may be forced into locking engagement withsaid hub by inward pressure of the finger of the operator upon thefinger piece -14.-, thereby effecting the rotation of the reel in oneand the same direction as the reel supporting frame is moved along thefish rod 3 and bar 22. On the other hand, when pressure upon the springarm 12 is released, the clutch -10 is returned to its normal positionout of interlocking engagement with the hub of the reel thereby allowingsaid reel to rotate freely or to remain at rest even though the spindle11 may be rotated by the backward and forward movement of the reelsupporting frame.

In order that the free rotation of the reel may be retarded, as forinstance when the line is being drawn out by a fish, the upper plate 8is provided with a movable brake section 36- normally spring pressedoutwardly by its own tension away from the adjacent reel disk 4,but'adapted to be pressed inwardly by the finger of the operator againstthe outer face of said disk when desired to stop or retard the rotationof the reel.

It is desirable to hold the reel supporting frame against reciprocalaction during the operation of fishing and for this purpose the lowerside of the loop 21 is provided at one end, nearest the handle, with afinger hook -37 adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator tohold said frame in one position.

The ends of the rack bar 22 may be secured to the fish rod in anydesired manner and, in this instance, I have shown the front end as heldin place by a pin or rivet 38 passing into or through the fish rod,while the rear end is provided with a suitable foot 39 held in place byrings 4:0 and 41- one of which may be movable lengthwise of the bar todisengage the foot and permit the rack to be removed after removing thepin 38 and detaching the guide loop 21 from the base plate 19.

The reel frame is reciprocated along the rod 3- by grasping it in one(usually the right) hand with the fingers engaged with the underside ofthe loop 21 and the thumb engaged with the finger piece -14 to enablethe operator to force the clutch section 10 into engagement with theclutch section 9 to lock the reel to its driving spindle -11-, the fishrod being held by the handle in the other or left hand.

hat I claim is:

1. In combination with a fish rod, a reel supporting frame movable inreverse directions along and upon the exterior of the rod, a reelmounted in the frame wholly to one side of the rod, a guide bar for thereel frame attached to the exterior of the rod at the same side as thereel, and connections between the reel and guide rod for rotating thereel in one and the same direction as it is reciprocated along the guiderod.

2. In combination with a fish rod, a

rack for rotating said reel in one and the same direction as the reelframe is reciprocated.

8. In combination wit-h a fish rod, a reel supporting frame movable inreverse directions lengthwise of and upon the rod, a driving shaftdisposed at substantially right angles to the axis of the rod,connections between the rod and driving shaft for imparting a rotarymotion to said driving shaft as the frame is moved in either direction,a spool journaled upon and rotatable independently of the driving shaft,and clutch connections between the driving shaft and spool.

4. In combination with .a fish rod, a relatively stationary toothed rackmounted upon and extending lengthwise of the rod, a reel support-ingframe movable along the rack, a driving shaft disposed at substantiallyright angles to the rack, connections between the driving shaft and rackfor imparting a rotary motion to said driving shaft as the frame ismoved along the rack, a spool journaled upon and rotatable independentlyof the shaft, and clutch connections between the shaft and spool.

5. In combination with a fish rod, a reel supporting frame movable inreverse directions along and upon the rod, a. driving shaft disposed atsubstantially right angles to the axis of the rod, connections betweenthe driving shaft and rod for imparting a rotary motion to said shaft asthe frame is moved in either direction along the rod, a spool journaledupon and rotatable independently of the shaft, and means operable atwill for locking the shaft to the spool.

6. In combination with a fish rod, a guide bar extending lengthwise ofand upon the exterior of the rod and having its intermediate portionsspaced apart therefrom, a reel supporting frame movable in reversedirections lengthwise of and upon the bar and having slidinginterlocking connection therewith, a reel mounted in the frame wholly atone side of the rod and comprising a driving spindle, and a spooljournaled thereon, connections between the bar and spindle for rotatingsaid spindle in one and the same direction as the reel frame isreciprocated, and clutch connections between the spindle and spool.

7. In combination with a fish rod, a bar detachably secured to the rodwholly atone side thereof and having its opposite longitudinal edgesprovided with toothed racks, a reel supporting frame movable lengthwiseof and upon the bar and having a portion thereof embracing the rod, areel mounted in the frame wholly at one side of the rod and comprising adriving spindle and a spool rotatable relatively thereto, clutchconnections between the spindle and spool, and sep arate connectionsbetween the spindle and toothed racks for rotating said spindle in oneand the same direction as the reel frame is reciprocated along the bar.a

8. In combination with a fish rod, a bar detachably secured to the rodand having the greater portion thereof spaced apart therefrom, said barhaving its opposite longitudinal edges provided with toothed racks, areel supporting frame movable in' reverse directions lengthwise of anduponv the bar, a reel mounted in the frame wholly at one side of the rodand comprising a driving spindle and a spool, gears mounted on the reelframe and meshing with the toothed racks, and connections between saidgears and driving spindle for rotating the latter in one and the samedirection as the reel frame is reciprooated along the bar.

9. In combination with a fish rod, aguide bar detachably secured to therod wholly at one side thereof and having the greater portion thereofspaced apart therefrom, said bar having its opposite longitudinal edgesprovided with toothed racks and its central portion provided with alengthwise slot, a reel supporting frame movable in reverse direct-ionsalong and upon the bar and pro vided with guide members movable in saidslot, a reel mounted in the frame wholly at one side of the rod andcomprising a driving spindle and a spool rotatable relatively thereto,clutch connections between the driving spindle and spool, a pinion onthe driving spindle, gears meshing with diametrically opposite sides ofthe pinion, additional gears meshing with the toothed racks, andseparate clutch connections between the first named gears andcorresponding last named gears for rotating the driving spindle in oneand the same direction as the reel supporting frame is moved in reversedirections along the bar.

10. In combination with a fish rod, a reelsupporting frame movable inreverse directions along the rod, a rotary spindle disposed atsubstantially right angles to and wholly at one side of the rod andhaving its inner end provided with a gear and its outer end providedwith a clutch section, a reel coaxial with and surrounding the spindlebetween 'said gear and clutch section and also having its outer endprovided with a clutch section, connections between the gear and rod forimparting rotary motion to the spindle, and means for engaging theclutch sections with each other.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this eighth day ofJanuary,

JOHN ASA RICKETTS. Witnesses:

HENRY L. COLE, FRANK M. Gorr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

